The present invention relates to seals and more particularly to seals for use with gas turbine engines.
Gas turbine engines include airfoils, such as blades and vanes, arranged in cascade configurations. These airfoils can be arranged in compressor or turbine sections of the engine. The airfoils can include a root (e.g., dovetail shaped root) that allows retention of the airfoil in a mounting structure, such as a rotor disk having one or more blade retention slots. For instance, a single circumferential rotor disk slot or a plurality of generally axial slots can be provided for airfoil retention. Many such airfoils include platforms that define a portion of an endwall or flowpath boundary adjacent to a working portion of the airfoil. However, gaps or spaces remain between airfoil platforms and the mounting structure, which is generally a necessity to enable assembly of the airfoils to the mounting structure. Fluid (e.g., air) leakage can include the escape of fluid from a primary flowpath, leading to undesirable pressure loss. Wire seals positioned between compressor rotor disks and blade platforms are known as a mechanism to provide under-platform sealing. These wire seals help reduce leakage of fluid between in a generally forward-aft or axial direction.
It is desired to provide an improved wire seal assembly.